Would like some opinions onto a good 500yd rifle?

I currently don't own any large caliber rifles or custom guns. I am looking for a good 500yd elk(mountain hunting) rifle and I was going to buy a Sako Tecomate 300WSM, until I had a long conversation with one of my fathers shooting buddies yesterday. He has done alot of long range shooting(500- 1000yds), but not alot of elk hunting. He is trying to sway me towards a 7Mag Sendero. I have done alot of reading on hear and it don't seem either has a real advantage. Am i missing something? FYI-I will be reloading and hope to maybe shoot a little farther with some practice, practice, practice.

Once you get to shooting 500 aint realy that far. A Sendero,BVSS or other heavy magnum/varmint contoured barrel would be easier to practice and hit with but a real pain to haul uphill. A factory sporter that shoots MOA is enough to hunt with to 500 and a lot easier to carry out, specialy if you fill a tag!

If your only going to 500 yards there is no point hauling a 12lb+ rifle around (the Senduro).
I know that the senduro's are getting an almost legendary status as a rifle that delivers alot for the money, but no remington is a SAKO.
I dont know much about the SAKO A7, but over all it has everything that a elk rifle should be, but so does the remmy.

All my rifles are light, including my .338 RUM. I find the recoil is worth the portability of a sporter. That being said, you need to know that you can shoot the light gun-magnum caliber well. Not many can, and it does no one more harm than yourself to shoot "to much gun".

The benifits of the Senduro is a heavy gun is easier to shoot, and the HS stock on the Senduro is likely a little better than the Bell and carlson on the A7.

Sounds like you just ran into somebody with a caliber preference. A few years ago, I was looking for 243, and I had mentioned it to a guy I worked with. He went on and on about how the 25/06 was so much more awesome, blah blah blah. I told him that I was after a short action, and for the ranges I was wanting to shoot it would work out better, not to mention a little more shooting comfort, and ammo availability (rural AK). He never was able to tell me what was so much more awesome about the 25/06 that I had to have that rather than a 243.

Just look at the loadings available for the 2, and start comparing ballistics. There are more calibers than I can comprehend floating around currently, and they all do certain things great. You have to find what you're looking for. I suggest continuing to look into the 300 WSM.

My first elk rifle was a 7 MM Rem mag & it killed elk. That said, Elk are BIG animals & I soon decided to go 30 caliber — or bigger. I made that decision because of a HUGE bodied elk I shot in the shoulder & wouldn't have recovered the elk if not for the previous shot that made it to his lungs. His massive shoulder absorbed all the energy the 7 MM Rem had to offer. Yes, that doesn't happen often, but I decided not to go with a cartridge that might not work on an animal I'm hunting. Now my light elk rifle is a .300 Weatherby & my heavy elk rifle is a .338/.378 Weatherby.

A .300 WSM is a ballistic clone of the .300 Win mag so whatever the .300 WM will do, the .300 WSM will do as well.

For a 500 yard elk rifle, either the 7 MM Rem mag or the 300 WSM will do, but the .300 WSM has the potential to throw a heavier bullet with better penetration. Better penetration allows "good hits" from less than ideal angles. For that reason I offer a strong recommendation for choosing the .300 WSM over the 7 MM Rem if all else is equal.

I also would prefer not to cary a Sendero weight rifle up & down mountains for a week. Go with a sporter-weight rifle that shoots pretty well and that you will be able to shoot after you hoof it up & down mountains for 5 days.

For a 500 yard rifle, I'm confident the 300 WSM is a better choice than the 7 MM Rem, but not so much better that I wouldn't consider a 7 MM Rem mag. if the price/gun was "right".

I've never shot a Sako that didn't shoot well enough to hammer an elk at 500 yards, or 700 yards for that matter. That gives me hope in the Tecomate. The few reviews of people who have bought these rifles are disappointing. The Sako is definitely a better choice than a Sendero for carrying up & down mountains, but a Savage Weather-Warrior would likely shoot as well or better for less money.

I currently own both, a 7mm and the 300. Wsm. Both are factory rifles. Both shoot excellent. I always grab the 300. Wsm before the 7mm, 180 grain nosler accubond at almost 3000 fps. I have a vortex viper PST 4-16x50mm on top of it. It holds well under Moa at 400 yards. Haven't really had to much time past that.

I love both rounds but am partial to the 30 cals and really love the 300. Wsm

You choice sounds fine for 500 yard work, with a weight that doesn't become overbearing for mountain hunting. Sporter weight magnum rifles can be effective at 500 yards, but it takes some practice. The only watch out would be if you contract the long range bug, and 500 yards becomes 1000. Seen this happen on more than a few occasions. My buddy just went through a similar decision process and ended up with a Savage Long Range Hunter in 300 WSM. At about 10 pounds fully decked out, it's not much heavier than a sporter, shoots very well at long range, and with the muzzle break, has the recoil of a 308 or lighter. I just mention this because there may be other options.

Having dragged my Sendero around last year on a TX deer hunt and having elk hunted 4 times now I'd much rather haul around that Sako than the Sendero. There is nothing wrong with your choice of the 300WSM, and if that's what you want then I'd buy it. You will do fine.

The case capacity of the 300 WSM is 80.4 gr (of water) full case, 72.9gr with a flat base bullet seated .400". In comparison the 300 Win Mag is 87.0gr and 82.1gr, respectively.

However, essentially equal is not the same as exactly equal, esp. for those that pushes the envelope, they realize what the extra case capacity can do for them ... just saying. lightbulbgun)

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I was talking about use within 500 yards on elk, where the slight edge in case capacity of the WM over the WSM would not change his ballistics much. I agree the case capacity would mean quite a bit more beyond 500 yards.

I also agree that on elk, more powder is better so long as the shooter can handle the recoil. The 300 WM or Weatherby rounds are where I start calling them "elk rounds", but I do push the envelope & know I would consider a shot well over 500 yards so long as I could read the wind & had time to get the range. At 500 yards & under the 300 wsm round should do him well if that's how he wants to go.

What would I recommend he go with for a mountain cary-rifle? I would recommend a Savage long-range hunter in 300 Weatherby, RUM or win mag. That however wasn't the question he asked.

I was talking about use within 500 yards on elk, where the slight edge in case capacity of the WM over the WSM would not change his ballistics much. I agree the case capacity would mean quite a bit more beyond 500 yards.

I also agree that on elk, more powder is better so long as the shooter can handle the recoil. The 300 WM or Weatherby rounds are where I start calling them "elk rounds", but I do push the envelope & know I would consider a shot well over 500 yards so long as I could read the wind & had time to get the range. At 500 yards & under the 300 wsm round should do him well if that's how he wants to go.

What would I recommend he go with for a mountain cary-rifle? I would recommend a Savage long-range hunter in 300 Weatherby, RUM or win mag. That however wasn't the question he asked.

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I know exactly what you mean, I simply provided information for OP's consideration. lightbulb

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